All depends mate. I use a 24-hour Pure Gym in Manchester city centre. Twenty quid a month. Facilities and equipment are in good nick if you can get on them. The low price and location make it hugely popular to the point you might as well not bother at peak times (5-9pm Mon-Fri, 8-11am Sat). Like, you have to wait more than thirty minutes for a treadmill or the queue for the squat rack is a mile long. And, of course, every other person is an absolute jackass. I'm considering signing up for a more exclusive gym (Nuffield) tomorrow, which means 2-3x the price of Pure Gym. Be worth it though. Hopefully yours isn't too bad.
I'd recommend finding a solid MMA gym mate. They're popping up everywhere these days and some a really good. The one I'm at has 3 floors; a weights gym, mma training floor (boxing ring, cage and huge matted area with punch bags etc) and a conditioning floor with huge clmbing rack, squat rack and a bunch of other stuff geared towards more crossfit type activity. It can get busy but it's rare you have to really queue for stations and the classes are pretty top notch. I pay 40 quid a month for unlimited access. It's not 24/7 but the opening hours are sound and I'm able to fit training in pretty much whenever I want. I've got limited experience with Puregym (had a trial at the Wednesfield branch) and it wasn't too bad. Certainly not to the point of what Van Zandt described. But when I tried it I was going mid morning and dinner times. Good luck finding somewhere though
40 quid for full-time mma and gym is a very good deal, what's the coaching level like? There's two places like that nearby, but their gym is terrible, their coaches are poor.
I just left one of those dirt cheap 24/7 gyms. Plenty of equipment, but weights get thrown everywhere. Dumbbells all over the place, unsanitary, lots of sweat left on benches.....no available benches which has affected my bench pressing. I see a lot of "gym fails" as well as people with great technique (but more of the former) and I battle myself of whether being "that guy" of going around and giving advice for their own safety.
Coaching level is pretty decent so far as I've experienced. It's called UTC and they're based in Erdington, Birmingham. If you're ever near there it's worth stopping by for a free trial. I think it's just a case of sometimes just dropping lucky on a place that covers what you need.
Don't do it, Mushy Peas. Everybody hates that guy. Although they should want your help because you know what you're doing. I always get aproached by dudes with oversized moobs and front delts and rounded shoulders offering to show me how to bench more.
I've slowly turned one of my bedrooms into a gym. Started with just 30 kg dumbells. I have quite a range now, next I'll be investing in some Olympic weights. I am still a member of pure gym though because I got in when they had a promotion for only 10 pounds a month might only be in Sheffield though and the place is empty except for me and my training partners around 6am
If I was able to video more stuff that I see, you would probably want to jump in as well....OR sit and watch and see what happens (which is what I do) "You ever see someone at risk of snapping their spine whilst trying to do situps on a triple raised bench? No? You're in for a treat...."
I've been to a couple of these gyms, and unfortunately am using one at the moment whilst I'm working away. They are the McDonald's of gym's. Very clinical and with no substance.Always very busy, and with a massive amount of importance being placed on the amount of equipment that they have, not the kind of equipment. Typically I train at a powerlifting gym. Very much a back alley gym with minimal equipment other than free weights, but everybody knows what they are doing, many of the members compete n powerlifting meets, and the gym is far less busy than any other I've trained at. I've trained a couple of back-alley gyms, and have never found anywhere else that I prefer.
24/7 fitness? Are they like a global chain? They're springing up all over the place here and there's one right next to were me and the GF are moving too.
They have recently converted a Virgin Gym in Staines to a Pure Gym 2hr operation. Actually prefer it as the equipment is a lot better minus a pool and they always seem to be keeping it clean. I am only paying £10.99 per month for the first 12 months so it is a steal for that price. Ask for a tour and go from there. Perfect for me as I work shifts so I am normally off when most are at work.
Company is called "The Gym" or "The Gym Group". All dotted about in London. £16pcm. But apparently it can cost more if in wealthier areas. But my mate trains at one of them (£20 pcm) and its still unsanitary, unclean, messy. Though to be fair not much of the staff fault, as a lot of people just throw the weights about and is a mess. Everytime I trained there, I would wash my hands and the water will be go gray...thats just handling the dumbells. As its classed as a "fitness centre" their dumbells, can only go up to 30kg...which to be fair is what most people use up to anyway. I left at a good time. As there were a group doing shadow boxing (by the weighted area) then using the inside of the entire gym as his cardio/sprinting area. Staff kind of let him do it.
Ok! Gyms are really expensive here, but this 24/7 Fitness thing that is popping up is super cheap. I've got all these exercise vouchers from work, so I can work out for free for about 9 months (depending where I go obviously). So I might go to one for a couple of months and see if I can actually work out before I throw away the vouchers on a better gym or give them away (to my girlfriend who will never use them and really needs too).
Yeah , I would say still go. I've just had a bad experience (although online reviews say the same) ... doesnt mean its fair to tar them all with the same brush. Hey if you got vouchers.....free training! Do it!
Just looking at another gym that's near by, it's a proper one located in a shopping centre. I've seen huge beasts of people doing their shopping after their work out and buying kilos of turkey, so it must be good. But it's over twice the price and I'm not really working at the moment. And no...I didn't follow a woman around the meat aisles checking out her thighs, what do you take me for?!? I need to use the vouchers up by the end of the year, so might as well.
what are you looking to get out of the gym dead_pool? i've found that if you can find a real powerlifter's gym, it's usually pretty inexpensive, and those types of gyms tend to have less in the way of contractual obligations. but are you looking for weights? or treadmills and such?
